Mixing device



Feb. 28. 1956 w. R. CLARK ET AL 2,736,535

MIXING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1953 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS WILL/AM R. CLARK fLOYD Hl/V/(SOA/ I Feb. 28, 1956 w. R. CLARK ET AL 2,736,535

MIXING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS WILL/AM R. CLARK FLOYD h'l/V/(SO/V ATTORNEY Feb. 28. 1956 w. R. CLARK ET AL 2,736,535

MIXING DEVICE I Filed April 24, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I'LEllll INVENTORS WILLIAM R. CLARK BY FLOYD H/IVKSO/V ATTORNEY MKXING DEVECE William R. Clark and Floyd Hinkson, Corte Madera, Caiif.

Application April 24, 1953, Serial No. 351,915

' Ciaims. (or. 259-102 This invention relates to a mixing device.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a mixing device particularly adapted for mixing paint, heavy paint, sheet rock mud, stipple paste, brick mortar, plaster, mastics, or the like, and which can be used on the usual cans is which such paint or the like is dispensed, and which depends on a rotary and reversibly gyrating mixer to accomplish quick and thorough mixing of paint or the like.

-Novel features of this invention include, among others, an overhead frame easily clamped on the top edge of a can or the like to support the rotating parts of the mixing device; a suitable gear motor drive and primary transmission; a detachable coupling generally central to the device whereby a mixer transmission or elements can be coupled with the primary transmission; said mixer transmission being floatingly coupled to said coupling and having a drives shaft eccentric with respect to said primary drive transmission so that the torque of the eccentric rotation of the mixer causes the floating transmission to shift or gyrate about the axis of the first transmission in one direction, and, as the eccentric torque on the mixer lessens by reason of the mix having reached suitable consistency, it causes the reversing of the gyration oppositely to its original direction of gyration; a suitable mixer element or paddle rotated in and by said floating transmission covering an area generally corresponding to the radius of the can or container, said mixer element beng such that the resistance of the material mixed causes a torque moment on the floating transmission; and apart on said paddle or mixer to'agitate the top thinner layer in the can.

We are aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof without departing from the scope'of the pres ent invention as set forth in the following specification, and

as defined in the following claims; hence we do not limit our invention tothe exact arrangements and combinations of the said device and parts as described in the said specification, nor do we confine ourselves to the exact details of the constructon of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for the illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Fig. l is a partly sectional view of our mixer in operative position on a can.

- 1 Fig.- 2 is. a side view of our mixer, the can being shown insection.

Fig. 3 is another view of our mixer in the can.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the lines 5-5 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the lines 66 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a fragmental development view of the detachable coupling in our device, and

atent Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the can, in section taken on the lines 8-8 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out our invention we make use of a bracket 1 adapted to be mounted on the top edge of the usual container, such as a five gallon can 2. An electric motor 3 is supported on top of the bracket 1 and drives a primary transmission 4 also supported on the bracket 1 so that the axis of its output shaft 6 is central with respect to the bracket 1 and the can 2. A floating transmission 7 has its input shaft 8 coupled to the central output shaft 6 of the primary transmission 4. The driven shaft 9 of the floating transmission 7 is eccentric with respect to the axis of the primary transmission output shaft 6. To the driven shaft 9 is coupled a mixer paddle 11, so that the driven shaft 9 is closer to the axis than to the periphery of the can 2. The rotating paddle 11 is eccentric with respect to the driven shaft 9. One side of the paddle extends to a distance equal to the space between the shaft 9 and periphery of the can 2, the other side being narrower.

In detail, the bracket 1 includes a hub 12 with three radial spokes 13 from each of which extends a leg 14. Each leg 14 has on its lower end a hook recess 16 which fits over the rim 1'] of the can 2. A set screw 18 extends through one of the legs 14 and across the outer portion of the adjacent hook recess 16 to bear against the side of the can 2 under the rim 17 so as to draw up the bracket legs 14 tightly against movement relatively to the can 2.

On the top of the motor 3 is a handle 1 for carrying the mixer unit when needed. The motor 3 is supported on a suitable cage 21 on the top of the bracket 1 and has a suitable electric cord 22 for connection to a source of electricity.

The primary transmission 4 is a gear transmission, encased in a casing 23. A drive pinion 24 on the motor shaft 26 is in mesh with a driven gear 27, which latter is keyed to the tubular output shaft 6.

The coupling includes a coil spring 28 in the top end of the tubular output shaft 6, and suitable bayonet slots 29 into which fit the bayonet pins 31 on the input shaft 8 of the floating transmission 7.

The floating transmission 7 is inclosed in a casing 33. The casing 33 is journalled by suitable journals 34 on the lower end of the input shaft 3. A sprocket 36 in the casing 33 is fixed on the input shaft 8 and is connected by a transmission chain 37 to a driven sprocket 38 in the casing 33. The tubular driven shaft 9 is fixed in the driven sprocket 38 and is journalled in the casing 33. The coupling means in the tubular sprocket shaft 9 may be any suitable coupler such as the type of coupling in the tubular output shaft 6.

According to the resistance offered to, the paddle 11 which is rotated in clockwise direction viewing Fig. 1, the floating transmission 7 initially gyrates or rotates in contra clockwise direction. As the resistance equalizes when the mixture is mixed to a desired thinner consistency, the floating casing rotation is reversed to clockwise direction viewing Fig. 1, indicating that the mixing is completed. The reason for this gyration is the reaction moment exerted by the eccentric moment of the paddle 11 on the casing 33 around the axis of the input shaft 8 as a fulcrum.

In other words, the eccentricity of the paddle 11 about the stem 42 and output shaft 9 converts the resistance of the mixture on the paddle into a turning moment transmitted through the stem 42 and the output shaft 9 to the casing 33 so as to overcome the torque of the sprocket chain 37 and to turn the casing 33 about the input shaft 8. When the resistance is above a predetermined consistency, then the'torque or turning moment on the casing 33 will be opposite to the direction of the rotation of the paddle 11. When the resistance is below said predetermined consistency, then the sprocket chain torque turns the casing 33 with the paddle 11.

From the outer end of the casing 33 extends a scraper blade 39 to the inner periphery of the can 2 to scrape solid masses of material that may adhere to said can walls.

The mixer paddle 11 in this illustration includes a generally rectangular oblong metal frame 41 with a stem 42 which has thereon prongs 43 fitting in suitable bayonet slots 44 in the driven shaft 9 of the floating transmission 7. A coil spring 46 in the inner end of the tubular driven shaft 9 aids in holding the agitated or paddle stem 42 coupled with the tubular shaft 9. This skeleton frame 41 has its top horizontal bar 47 spaced well below the top of the can 2. The bottom horizontal bar 48 is held in close proximity of the bottom 49 of the can 2. A finger 51 extends upwardly generally in extension of the vertical side of the frame 41 nearer to the stem 42 so as to agitate the thinner top layer of paint or the like mixture. The other vertical side of the paddle 11 is spaced from the stem 42 at a distance equal to the space between said stem 42 and the periphery of container 2.

In operation the bracket legs 14 are placed on the rim 17 of the can 2 and the clamp screw 18 is tightened under the rim 17 to hold the bracket 1 rigidly in place. The rotation of the motor 3 drives the transmission shaft 6 which in turn rotates the input shaft 8 of the floating transmission 7. The sprocket 36 and chain 37 drive the other sprocket 38 and the tubular shaft 9 which in turn rotates the agitator paddle 11 in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the transmission shaft 6. On account of the initial resistance of the thick paint or material, initially the eccentric reaction force upon the paddle 11 causes the fioating transmission '7 as a unit to shift around the input shaft 8 as a pivot in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the transmission shaft 6 and input shaft 8. When the paint or material is mixed to the desired uniform consistency the resistance or reaction is reduced sufliciently to permit the floating transmission to shift about the input shaft 8 as a pivot in the same direction as that of the input shaft rotation. Such reversal of the direction of the shifting of the floating transmission 7 prevents the undue acceleration of rotation of the mixer and the floating transmission as the mixture is thinned, because it acts as a differential according to the resistance of the mixture. The shifting of the floating transmission 7 is somewhatlike a differential shifting of the paddle 11 around the interior of the can 2 at a slower rate than the speed of rotation of the paddle 11 about its axis. In this manner uniform mixing of materials otherwise difficult to handle is accomplished very rapidly and without upsetting the can 2.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3, the floating transmission 7 is removed, and an agitator shaft 52 is directly coupled to the transmission shaft 6, so that it is located in the center of the can 2. A propeller-agitator blade 53 on the lower end of the shaft 52 is near the can bottom 49 and is so bent that it propels the paint or mixture upwardly. Another agitator blade 54 is located on the shaft 52 above the middle of the can 2 and is so bent that its alternating blade sections 56 and 57 drive the paint or mixture oppositely, namely downwardly and upwardly. This interaction of blades accomplishes thorough mixing and blending of paint and the like.

We claim:

1. In a mixer of the character described, driving means adapted to be supported on a container, an output element of said driving means being located generally centrally to said container, a floating transmission supported on and driven by saidoutput element, a support for the floating transmission journalled on and being freely shiftable about the axis of said output element, a driven output member of said floating transmission being eccentric with respect to said output element, and an agitator depending from said driven output member and being rotated thereby, said agitator being eccentric with respect to the axis of said output element so as to impart to said floating transmission turning moment about said axis according to the reaction forces and torque moment on said agitator.

2. In a mixer of the character described, driving means adapted to be supported on a container, a floating transmission drivingly coupled to said driving means, a journal support pivoted on said driving means and journalling said floating transmission eccentrically on said driving means, and a rotating agitator depending from and coupled with said floating transmission eccentrically to said driving means so as to exert a turning moment on said floating transmission and said support according to the resistance to the rotation of said agitator by the substance mixed.

3. In a mixer of the character described, driving means adapted to be supported on a container, a floating transmission drivingly coupled to said driving means, a journal support pivoted on said driving means and journalling said floating transmission eccentrically on said driving means, and a rotating agitator depending from and coupled with said floating transmission eccentrically to said driving means so as to exert a turning moment on said floating transmission and said support according to the resistance to the rotation of said agitator by the substance mixed, said agitator including a skeleton frame spaced downwardly from said floating transmission, one side of the frame being wider with respect to its axis rotation than the other side, and a finger extended upwardly from said other side of said skeleton frame.

4. In a mixer of the character described, driving means adapted to be supported on a container, a floating transmission drivingly coupled to said driving means, a journal support pivoted on said driving means and journalling said floating transmission eccentrically on said driving means, and a rotating agitator depending from and coupled with said floating transmission eccentrically to said driving means so as to exert a turning moment on said floating transmission and said support according to the resistance to the rotation of said agitator by the substance mixed, said floating transmission and said support being detachable from said driving means, and said agitator being detachable from said floating transmission.

5. In a mixer of the character described, driving means adapted to be supported on a container, a floating transmission drivingly, eccentrically and pivotally coupled with said driving means, and a rotating agitator depending from and coupled with said floating transmission eccentrically to said driving means so as to exert a turning moment on said floating transmission according to the resistance to the rotation of said agitator by the substance mixed, said floating transmission including an elongated casing, a first sprocket journaled in said casing, a drive shaft of said sprocket journaled in and extended from said casing for coupling with said transmission, a driven sprocket journalled in said casing spaced from said first sprocket, an output member coupled with said driven sprocket and adapted to be drivingly connected to said agitator, and a chain drive played around said sprockets within said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 283,511 Raymond Apr. 11, 1883 876,633 Gray et al. Jan. 14, 1908 1,255,356 Trust et al Feb. 5, 1918 1,859,690 Aeschback May 24, 1932 2,046,784 Krause July 7, 1936 2,345,163 Vollrath May 28, 1944 2,622,856 Simon Dec. 23, 1952 

